A Change of Situation
by Althea Snape
Summary: What if the Bennets had been wealthy? Would that have changed anything? Or everything, perhaps...
1. Chapter 1 - Arrival

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters. They are all the creation of Jane Austen. Except a few, which are from my own imagination, but you will know which they are.

Plot: What if the Bennets had been wealthy? Would that have changed anything? Or everything, perhaps...

A/N: This is my first attempt at writing Pride and Prejudice fanfiction. Any reviews will be appreciated. Thanks :)

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_"A man has to learn that he cannot command things, but that he can command himself; that he cannot coerce the wills of others, but that he can mould and master his own will: and things serve him who serves Truth; people seek guidance of him who is master of himself."_

_James Allen_

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Chapter 1 - Arrival

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."

Elizabeth grinned at Jane, who fought back a smile. "And might the same be said of a woman, in possession of a large fortune? Would she be searching for a husband, Lizzy?"

Elizabeth smiled. "Well, you would know that better than I, Jane, for as the eldest, your fortune is larger than mine." She leaned conspiratorially towards her sister. "So, have you found anyone yet? I know of many gentlemen who would not be averse to seeing more of you." The resulting blush spreading up Jane's neck was extremely satisfying, but Elizabeth decided to have pity on her. "In fact, when we reach our home in London, I am sure that Mr. Lucas will greet you with the greatest enthusiasm. What shall it be this time? A kiss perhaps?"

"Oh, Lizzy. Do not tease, so. You know Mr. Lucas is our dog!" Elizabeth giggled and her giggles seemed to be contagious, as Jane could not help but join in.

Suddenly, the girls were quieted as the carriage gave a huge jolt. Elizabeth looked out of the window, and she was surprised to find that they had almost reached town, where they would be spending the season. Although only the elder sisters were out, the three younger sisters were also accompanying them, as their mother claimed it would be unfair for them to remain at home.

The real reason was that Franny Bennet knew that if her daughters remained at home, she would have to stay with them. Her mother had passed away while giving birth to her youngest sister, and her father, an admiral in the navy, would often spend long periods of time away from her family. Therefore, she knew better than most the importance of having family together, and she was loathe to separate from her husband and two eldest for so long a period of time. She had made this known to her husband, who had complied with her wishes, almost without question.

For Thomas Bennet, 7th Earl of Ashford, was not in the habit of refusing his wife anything. So it was that they were journeying to London, to stay in their house in town.

It was late when they finally arrived, and the Earl was the only member of the family who had not succumbed to sleep. Gently, he awoke his wife and daughters, and helped them out of the carriage. Then, instructing the servants where to take the luggage, the Bennets made their way into the house.

The rooms had been prepared days before the arrival of the Bennets, and the entire house had been cleaned in anticipation of their arrival. The servants of Ashford House were not only extremely efficient, but also rather astute. Having realised that the Bennets would be exhausted from their travels, the cook, Mrs. Jones, had prepared only a light repast, and the housekeeper, Mrs. Davies, had ensured that there would be baths waiting for each of the family, should they wish to bathe and then sleep.

The servants knew that Lord Ashford was extremely strict. He would not tolerate gossip of any sort, and anyone caught in such an act would be dismissed with no reference. Acts of disrespect and dishonesty would have similar consequences, for in his books, these were the worst of crimes. No, Lord Ashford was not to be trifled with. However, this was not why the servants had gone to so much trouble to ensure that the Bennets would be comfortable.

In truth, Lord Ashford was a good master, as the servants would tell anyone who asked. He regularly spoke with the housekeeper asking about the well-being of the servants. If they had any problems, he was willing to loan them money, knowing full well they had neither means nor ability to pay it back. He commended good service by raising pay, and offered generous bonuses at festive times of year.

Lady Ashford was the best of mistresses. Mrs. Davies particularly agreed with this, as she had long thought of the woman as a younger sister. Being the daughter of an Admiral, Lady Ashford was fully aware of the organisation and skill it took to run such a household. So, when she had married into the family, she had never considered it beneath herself to ask for advice from Mrs. Davies, who had been only too delighted at being able to help, all the time praising her good fortune at having obtained such a wonderful mistress.

Lady Jane was so serene that all who were around her suddenly felt compelled to forget their worries. Lady Elizabeth was intelligent and witty, and whenever Mrs Jones or one of the valets would bring their children along, she would go to extreme lengths to entertain them. Lady Mary was good friends with the housekeeper's daughter, and encouraged young Miss Davies to read and play and sing, which often brought a tear to Mrs. Davies' eye. The youngest girls were a little less refined than their siblings, but they were so joyful and full of life that it was almost impossible to dislike them.

Above all, through all their acts of kindness, compassion and generosity, the young ladies had earned the most important thing of all. The elder of the servants, including Mrs. Davies, looked upon them with the fondness which could only come from years of affection, whereas the younger ladies' maids would wish that they too would be as beautiful as the young ladies, both in appearance and mind. However, _every_ servant respected them, knowing that they would grow, nay had grown into fine women, rather like their mother.

All in all, the atmosphere of Ashford House was infinitely improved with the presence of the Bennets, as were the servants' moods, and so it was for purely selfish reasons that the servants had gone to excessive trouble to ensure that the Bennets were comfortable.

And although they had been drained by the long journey, each of the Bennets had smiles on their faces, as they finally fell into a deep slumber.


	2. Chapter 2 - New Acquaintances

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters. They are all the creation of Jane Austen. Except a few, which are from my own imagination, but you will know which they are.

Plot: What if the Bennets had been wealthy? Would that have changed anything? Or everything, perhaps...

A/N: This chapter is dedicated to strawberries-and-cherries123, who was my first reviewer. Thanks a lot to joniskpelare, who pointed out to me that I had made some errors in the way I referred to the ladies of the Bennet household. I hope, now, that I have rectified these. If anyone spots anything else, please let me know, and please carry on reviewing, any feedback is appreciated. Thanks :)

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_"By three methods we may learn wisdom: first, by reflection, which is the noblest; second, by imitation, which is the easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest."_

_Confucius_

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Chapter 2 - New Acquaintances

The next morning, Elizabeth awakened by the sound of Mr. Lucas, barking loudly near the foot of her bed. She shook her head in amusement at the dog, who quieted as soon as she got out of her bed. As she made her way downstairs, she was surprised at the peace and tranquillity that filled the house. She was informed by a young maid, by the name of Sally, that her mother and sisters had decided to spend the morning resting and recovering from the journey.

"Ah, Lizzy, I knew _you_ would not be one to spend the day in your bed. The idea alone must seem impossible to you." Elizabeth turned around and saw her father looking at her, fondly.

Returning his smile with one of her own, she said, "No indeed, Papa. I am your daughter, through and through." At this, her father let out a loud laugh. Only then did she realise that he seemed to be preparing to go out. She wondered where he would go, so early on in the day.

When she asked him as much, he said "Well, my dear, since I knew your mother and sisters would not be up to company today, I had planned to have a picnic today. It seems to be a beautiful day, and there is a park which I used to frequent in my childhood, which would be perfect for such an occasion. Will you not join me?"

"Of course, Papa. I should like that very much. Shall I go and instruct Mrs. Jones to pack more breakfast?" she said.

At this, her father smiled sheepishly. "You will forgive me, my dear," he began, "but I had already assumed that you would be joining me today. I have told Mrs. Jones to pack for two."

She laughed. "I would have expected no less. Hold on one moment, I shall fetch my coat and bonnet." She ran up to her room, simply happy that she would be outside again.

Elizabeth had always been more content out of doors. She delighted in the fresh sounds and smells which filled the air in the countryside, and she had long since discovered that there was nothing better than a long walk to clear her head. It was this freedom to roam the parks which she particularly missed when she came to town, so she would not refuse any opportunity to explore London, and to make the most of what few parks there were here.

As they set off, Elizabeth and her father chatted pleasantly. She had refused his invitation to use the carriage to go to the park, so now they were travelling through the streets of London.

Elizabeth shared many traits with her father, her love of the outdoors and her sarcastic humour, to name a few. Another particular trait they shared was the studying of characters. She had heard this referred to as one of the 'quirks of the wealthy', and she saw how it could be portrayed as thus. However, as it was one of the things she shared with her father, she was not willing to let go of it so soon. It was a regular game of theirs to study various characters as they passed, and find out as much about the person, simply from the way they held themselves.

"Ah, Lizzy," her father said. "Look to your right. That young man. He certainly seems to be in a hurry to reach somewhere. See how he eats his bread as he walks."

"I see him. But look further beyond. That old lady. She seems to be berating her son for something or the other. See how he rolls his eyes at her, in frustration, and is trying to placate her. She rather reminds me of Aunt Emily, do you not think?"

They continued in this fashion until they arrived at the park, when Lord Ashford suddenly quieted. "It has been too long since I last came here," he said, nostalgically. "I remember as though it were yesterday, when I stole some bread from the cook so that I could feed the ducks." He led her to the side, to a shaded area below a large oak tree, where they set up their picnic and began to eat, while Lord Ashford regaled his daughter with tales of his childhood.

"On one occasion, I had been told explicitly by my elder cousin that I must not climb this tree, for I was too young. Of course, I took it on myself to prove him wrong, and I managed it. It was my first true achievement." He once again developed a sheepish look.

"However, in all my excitement, I released my hold on the branch and came tumbling down. Needless to say, my cousin received a sound thrashing for allowing me to act so foolishly, and the only reason I did not receive similar treatment was that my fall had injured me sufficiently. That, and I was punished enough by not being able to leave my bed for the next month. It was that which caused the eight year old me more pain than the injury itself."

Elizabeth laughed loudly, and he joined in. "You cannot have learnt from your fall, father, for I remember once when Grandmama told us how she had quite despaired of you and your love of climbing trees, which stayed with you well into your teens."

"Now, that is not entirely true my dear," he said, seriously. "At the time, I was not aware of it, but now I look back, I realise that it taught me something extremely pertinent." When she looked at him questioningly, he answered "I learnt that I could get to the top of the tree, if I wished, because I applied my mind to it. But rather more importantly, I learnt not to take for granted that I would always be at the top. For that was where I erred when I was a child. And thankfully, I have not done so again."

They both sat in companionable silence for some time, thinking over his words. Eventually, Lord Ashford decided to change the subject. "What think you of that young lady, sitting by the pond, Lizzy? She cannot be older than our Kitty."

Lizzy looked up to where he indicated. "From her clothing, she seems to be from a good family. Though she certainly is not old enough to be out alone. And her bonnet. It seems to be hanging on by a thread. All it will take is a small gust of wind to blow it right... that was rather strange!" As she spoke, said 'gust of wind' had chosen to make an appearance, and the young lady's bonnet was blown of, right towards the oak tree under which the Bennets were sitting.

The young lady seemed extremely embarrassed as she came toward them. Elizabeth leaned across, picked up the bonnet and stood up to give it to the young lady, who had by now arrived at where they were seated. Lord Ashford politely stood, too.

"Thank you," said the lady, looking down slightly, and not quite meeting Elizabeth's eyes. By now, the young lady had a deep crimson blush on her face, which was rapidly spreading. Both Elizabeth and her father realised that this young lady was excessively shy, and attempted to make her feel more comfortable.

"That is quite alright. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Elizabeth Bennet, and this is my father, Mr. Thomas Bennet." Lord Ashford raised an eyebrow and looked questioningly towards his daughter, silently asking her why she would introduce as 'Mr'. Seeing that she refused to meet his eyes, however, smiled politely and bowed at the young lady, mentally sighing in frustration at the way his daughter's mind worked.

The young lady, by now so fully overcome by shyness that she could barely look up, finally met the gaze of Elizabeth and Lord Ashford. Finding nothing but warmth in them gave her the courage to introduce herself. "I am Georgiana Darcy. It... I am very pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss Bennet, Mr. Bennet," she stuttered, and it was clear that for this young girl, even these few words were something of an achievement.

"As are we to make yours, Miss Darcy," Lord Ashford said, gently. "I noticed you were reading, moments ago. What was the name of the book?"

She meekly told them, and it turned out to be a favourite of both Lord Ashford and Elizabeth. Speaking about literature seemed to draw Georgiana out of her natural reserve, and before long, they were all discussing whether or not Hero and Claudio were truly in love.

As they came to the end of the discussion without having reached a firm conclusion, Lord Ashford decided to ask the question which had been on his mind. "If you don't mind my mentioning it, you seem rather young to be out without a companion." At his words, a panicked expression appeared on Georgiana's face.

"Oh no, my brother accompanied me. He had absolutely refused to let me stay alone but my cousin and uncle..." She cut off, mid-sentence, as she caught sight of a figure approaching.

"Georgiana Darcy. You are in great trouble!"


	3. Chapter 3 - First Impressions

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters. They are all the creation of Jane Austen. Except a few, which are from my own imagination, but you will know which they are.

Plot: What if the Bennets had been wealthy? Would that have changed anything? Or everything, perhaps...

A/N: Thanks to all those who reviewed! This one is dedicated to Leaseablue, the first reviewer of Chapter 2. As I have said before, feel free to point out anything I have got wrong, so that I can correct it. Someone asked me whether the Bennets are already acquainted with the Darcys. For the sake of this story, I'm relying on the fact that neither the Darcys not the Bennets spend a great deal of time in town, so until now have avoided meeting each other.

Please read and review! :)

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_"A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity."  
_

_King Solomon_

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Chapter 3 - First Impressions

"Georgiana Darcy. You are in great trouble!" Elizabeth and her father looked around to find the source of the deep voice, and caught sight of a man approaching them.

Elizabeth did not believe she had ever met a man quite so tall, nor one who radiated power as much as the man making their way towards them at that moment, and she was immediately intrigued. She studied the expression on his face, looking for the anger which was so evident in his voice, but found nothing but the deepest concern, which warmed her towards him slightly.

"Brother, I..." Georgiana began, but one look from him silenced her. Elizabeth observed him carefully. That was not anger, but disappointment.

"Georgiana," began he, "I do not wish to hear your excuses. I had no desire of leaving you alone, while I walked. We are not in Pemberley now. We are in London. It is not safe. Despite this, I agreed to the plan upon your insistence, along with the repeated reassurances from our uncle and cousin. However, the single thing which I had asked from you was not to move from the bench. Yet you did so." As she went to speak, he raised a hand. "No, do not. You have disappointed me, Georgiana," he finished, quietly, and despite the grim situation, Elizabeth could not help but rejoice at her previous assessment having been proved correct.

Only after he had finished speaking did he seem to catch sight of the expression on Georgiana's face. Tears had welled up in her eyes, and she seemed to be fighting not to let them fall. He sighed heavily, and took Georgiana in his arms, and she responded by clinging to him firmly, and the love they shared caused both Elizabeth and Lord Ashford to smile.

"Georgiana," her brother said, more softly. "When I looked across the lake and found that the bench was empty, you cannot imagine the way I felt. You are all I have, dear. I cannot lose you."

"But brother, I would not disobey you. You must know that. It is simply that my bonnet got blown off, and these kind people retrieved it for me, but then we started conversing and..." She continued to ramble on in this manner, but her brother had only now caught sight of Elizabeth and Lord Ashford. He frowned, and to Elizabeth's surprise, his frown was directed towards herself and her father.

"Georgiana, perhaps you would do me the _honour_ of introducing me to your newest acquaintances?" Although his words were polite, the sarcasm was apparent in his tone. For the first time since he had arrived, however, Georgiana gave a small smile.

"This is Miss Elizabeth Bennet and her father, Mr. Thomas Bennet. And this is my brother, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, of Pemberley."

Elizabeth curtseyed as her name was mentioned, while Lord Ashford held out a hand. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Darcy," said he.

However, all Mr. Darcy deigned to do was look upon them and raise the corner of his mouth in disgust. His scowl deepened when he caught sight of the picnic basket, and he turned back to his sister. "You should not be talking to people outside your own company, Georgiana, and those with whom you are not intimately acquainted."

Elizabeth parted her lips slightly, astonished at the slight of herself and her father. Georgiana, too, seemed to have noticed her brother's impolite behaviour, as she looked apologetically towards Elizabeth and Lord Ashford. Her father seemed not to take offence, as he let his hand fall back gracefully. Not willing to let such an insult pass without notice, however, Elizabeth spoke.

"I believe, sir, that when a hand is offered, the accepted mode of conduct shake it," she said, taking care not to seem rude. "The alternative may be to appear _impolite,_ and after all, I am sure you would not wish that!"

This caught the gentleman's attention, and he looked at her, a deep scowl on his face. "I make it a habit not to allow the opinions of others to rule my actions. Such behaviour can lead to vanity being injured, and surely I do not wish _that,_" said he, just as bitingly as Elizabeth had, just a few minutes previously, although as soon as he had finished, he seemed somewhat chagrined, as if wishing he had not spoken at all.

Elizabeth, angry that he had not acknowledged his mistake, was just about to retort, when her father caught sight of her stance and quickly interrupted.

"Well, sir, it is getting close to noon. I believe it is time for my daughter and I to take our leave. Take care, Miss Darcy, Mr. Darcy." Lord Ashford smiled, and although Elizabeth was irked at not being able to voice her opinion, she admitted it was, most likely, for the best that she did not speak to that infuriating man at the moment.

"Goodbye, Miss Darcy. It was wonderful conversing with you," she said, not holding her brother's behaviour against the girl. "Perhaps we shall meet again in this park. I must own, it is my first time visiting, but my father has told me such stories that this park has become quite a favourite of mine."

"I would love to meet you again, Miss Bennet. Goodbye," replied the young lady, with a shy smile. The look on Mr. Darcy's face seemed to suggest that he did not share his sister's opinions, but he nodded in farewell, seemingly glad that they were finally leaving, and the Bennets gathered their belongings and set off on their walk back to Ashford House.

The walk back was spent in silence, and when they arrived, upon finding that the rest of the family would not be joining them until lunch, they decided to retreat to the library. They selected their books and were reading , until Elizabeth decided that she could not hold it in any longer.

"The nerve of that man! Did you see the way he snubbed you, father? Downright refused to shake your hand! Who does he think he is? And you did not let me say anything! How could you have been so calm, father?"

As she finished, she snapped her book shut and looked toward her father, demanding an explanation.

"You forget, my dear, that he was worried for his sister," said Lord Ashford simply, closing his own book to face his daughter, but Elizabeth could not accept this as an answer.

"Why should that allow him to treat us the way he did?" she asked, vehemently. He sighed.

"You may not understand the sentiments, Elizabeth, but I shall tell you my take on the matter, so that you may at least be able to sympathise," he said, quietly. "You saw how concerned Mr. Darcy was when he first greeted his sister, and the tenderness with which he comforted her. The age difference between the siblings, alone, must mean that he is more of a father to Miss Darcy than a brother, and if that is the case, then I can certainly justify his reaction, having five daughters of my own."

He stood and went to sit next to his daughter, taking her hands into his own. "Lord forbid, if any such thing should happen to you or your sisters, then I would immediately jump to the worst conclusion. Perhaps I would not immediately shun a person, without garnering any evidence of their guilt. But that is the way_ I_ would react. Love manifests itself differently in different people, and it just so happened that in Mr. Darcy, it comes in the form of reserve and an unwillingness to trust. For that is all it was. He was reluctant to further his acquaintance with us, on the basis that he believed it was our intention to cause harm to his sister. We cannot despise him for that, can we?"

Elizabeth gave his hand a small squeeze. "No, I suppose we cannot, Papa. You are right, as always," said she.

"And should we decide to take this opinion, his actions make him seem like a good man. Indeed, it would almost seem like you were at fault, for having spoken to him so vehemently. What consumed you, my dear?"

Her father had a way of making Elizabeth feel ashamed of her actions, without intending to. Perhaps it was the way he laid the facts straight, and allowed her to make her own judgement. Whatever it was, Elizabeth found she could not answer the question he had asked.

Lord Ashford, for his part, knew that his daughter was a great studier of character, and so how she had been so blunt with a person she had just met was a mystery to him. Despite his curiosity, he could see the turmoil which his question was causing her. Taking pity on his daughter, he answered for her.

"It must be your mother's influence. Her brother advised me when we married to not get her angry, for her ire was hotter than the sun itself. I must say I laughed at first, but four and twenty years of experience have taught me not to take Edward Gardiner's word lightly again!"

The laughter which ensued was reward enough.


End file.
